Reviewed 22 Jun 2007 by Ushi Engel
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
1) encountering the endless open space, which is almost unspoiled by human "civilization"
2) riding alone at Khovsgol and being amazed by the capability of the Mongolian horse
3) sand storm in the Gobi and being guest of a local family
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
1) bring very warm clothes ("onion" system) and definitely a sleeping bag for minus temperatures
2) be prepared for a number of days in a row without water for washing yourself - don't even dream about a shower!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Benefiting local people - yes. Goat was purchased from the herder, horse/yak/camel riding were supplied by the animal owners and no middleman or company involved. Regarding restaurants I would have preferred food stalls or family run ones so the money would go into the right pockets. However, my fellow travellers liked more larger places with an option for western orientated food.
Environment impact ?
The operator asked for bio-degradable soap, I was the only one who brought it. It should be strictly demanded. The Russian vans were repeatedly refilled with engine oil and the exhaust fumes were immense, so may be having vehicles of a higher technology standard would do less harm. Reduce-reuse-recycle should be stricter implemented by the travellers and tour leader, i.e. separation of organic waste which can be buried in the "toilet" hole or even serve as food for the herds. Travellers should be asked to reduce the use of plastic bags, request the use of rechargeable batteries instead of the one ways
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Great experience, realizing how different life can be compared to one I am used to.
Read the operator's response here:
Thank you for your comments Ushi, we are glad that you enjoyed your holiday and that you had a positive experience in Mongolia, it is a very interesting country.
In regards to your comments, I will get in contact with our tour leaders and make sure they promote responsible travel, ensuring that travellers and themselves are careful with waste disposal and recycling. I will also update trip dossiers to Mongolia, making sure that these issues are highlighted. It is always nice to get useful ideas and information from our returned travellers. Many thanks.
